In 24 hours Tom Herman has put Houston football back on the CFB map
Since the Jack Pardee-John Jenkins era University of Houston football has been influx. In the mid to late 1980’s through 1990 the Cougars unleashed their exciting brand of the run-and-shoot offense making quarterback Andrew Ware a Heisman Trophy winner and David Klingler a household name. By 1991 the thrill ride was over.
With coaches like Kim Helton and Dana Dimel trying to right the ship, the Cougars program floundered in large part until Art Briles took over the program after a 1-10 season in 2000 and 0-11 campaign in 2001. Briles brought back a wide open offense and with it more wins than losses.
By 2007 Briles was off to resurrect the Baylor program leaving former Oklahoma co-offensive coordinator Kevin Sumlin with the task of keeping Houston’s new winning ways afloat. Summlin did not disappoint bringing the Cougars their first defeat over a Top 10 team in 21 years after downing No. 5 Oklahoma State in Stillwater during the 2009 season.
Sumlin flirted with being a BCS bowl buster in 2011 pushing the Cougars to a No. 6 ranking. Seeing Sumlin thrive in Houston, the big money at Texas A&M came calling in December of that year.
The hope for a continued streak of high achieving success was not kept with interim head coach turned head coach Tony Levine. The Cougars finished 5-7, 8-5, and 7-5 in his three full seasons at the helm. Despite having back-to-back winning seasons ending with bowl invites, on December 8, 2014 Levine was fired.
For college football fans across the nation the hiring of Ohio State offensive coordinator Tom Herman to Houston did not ring like a shot across the bow of bigger brother programs in the Lone Star State. Herman won top assistant coaching honors going home with the Broyles Award after helping the Buckeyes average 44.8 points per game in route to a FBS National Championship.
Herman, a California native, cut his teeth in the coaching ranks starting as a wide receivers coach with Texas Lutheran (1998) before accepting a GA position with Texas (1999-2000). Sam Houston State took a gamble on Herman in 2001 (through 2004) as the team’s wide receivers coach and special teams coordinator. Texas State (2005-2006) took the first big gamble naming him their offensive coordinator. Then Rice stole Herman away before Iowa State came calling in 2009. By 2012 the father of three was in Columbus working his magic as OSU’s offensive coordinator.
Despite all of the hard work on the tough collegiate proving grounds Herman gained the most respect in the college football world over the last 24 hours. It all started when Houston area 5-star defensive tackle Ed Oliver decided to stay home for college verbally committing to Herman and the Cougars. After Oliver came teammate and a fellow defensive tackle, Jordan Elliott (4-star) and then another Houston native, 3-star offensive guard Dixie Wooten III followed by defensive end Michael Johnson.
The Cougars now have six verbal commitments to their recruiting class but the four recruits over the last 24 hours might be the most important of Herman’s entire 2016 recruiting class. Getting a late start for the 2015 class, Herman signed just 16 players with five of those earning the group’s highest ranking as 3-stars. Now Herman has high school players’, high school coaches’, and even other college coaches’ attention after his small 24 hour coup.
The big question now is can Herman continue on that momentum especially outside the immediate area of his Houston backyard?
Houston Cougars 2016 Verbal Commitment List
FS Patrick Rosette, 5’11”, 187 lbs, Foster HS, Richmond, Texas
QB Bowman Sells, 6’3”, 200 lbs, Lovejoy HS, Lucas, Texas
DT Ed Oliver, 6’2”, 277 lbs, Westfield HS, Houston, Texas
DT Jordan Elliot, 6’4”, 305 lbs, Westfield HS, Houston, Texas
DE Michael Johnson, 6’1”, 240 lbs, Hightower HS, Missouri City, Texas
OG Dixie Wooten III, 6’3”, 312 lbs, Lamar HS, Houston, Texas
Written by Ryan Wright
Photo credit: si.com; Tom Herman talks to a Houston Cougars home crowd.